Loki

There's a bit at the end of one of the chapers in Alan Wake where they just play a WHOLE rock song at the end.  Which blew my mind at the time, that sort of non-gamey moment was amazing.  

It reminded me of, if anyone's watched it, Due South - when they had an action sequence they'd literally edit the whole thing to an existing song that they bought in for the episode, it was such a cool thing and a change from the "write 2 mins of generic chase music" you get in all tv shows nowadays.  Chase sequences that feel like music videos.  So cool.

On Quantum Break I did the "Previously..." videos for the start of new chapters where you'd get a tv-style montage of what happened in the last chapter but specific to the story that your choices unfolded.  Again, very cool. 

Anyway, Alan Wake.  Great game.

@Supremo I spend way too much time clicking on that picture.

56 minutes ago, RedRooster said:

I've tried getting into the first game, to no avail. I was promised Twin Peaks, but I don't feel like - from what I've played - that it managed to do that. With that in mind, is there even any point trying the sequel? It sounds creative as hell, so I'd kind of like to, but I'm certainly apprehensive. 

If you couldn't get into the first game, I imagine you won't enjoy the sequel, or life generally for that matter.  Imo Alan Wake 1 is one of the best games ever made.

I still haven't managed to play number 2 due to my free code not working and me being cheap, but I anticipate it being amazing, as Remedy games usually are.  

1 minute ago, David said:

I have no idea. I'm addressing the point made about Ari Emanuel and how he might approach it. Vince is gone anyway, so he won't have any scope over that. I imagine my post about how he'd approach the Triple H scenario would just as easily apply to anyone else still with the company.

Right.  I expect his first port of call with the stiff broom will be anyone left who McMahon reinstated during his reverse coup if they haven't already been cleaned out by the merger.  My comment wasn't directed specifically at you David, just more a general bafflement at how this has turned into a "Big Jock Knew" situation.

2 hours ago, David said:

If he thinks having Triple H (I refuse to call him Paul) around isn't good for business, or if it doesn't sit right with him personally, then chances are good that Triple H will be gone.

Has anyone in any position of knowledge made any insinuation that HHH knew about Vince's sex trafficking?  I'm still somewhat baffled about how THIS continues to be the main topic of conversation, as opposed to the repercussions for Vince himself, Laurinaitis, Lesnar, and any other people actually directly involved in the abuse.  

HHH has been the on-screen WWE "head" for a few years but in reality apart from a brief period when he and his wife ACTUALLY managed to oust the villainous old bastard, he's not been in a particularly senior position in the main office.  The only point of contact I can think of is he and Stephanie instigating an independent investigation into the allegations, and I'm not sure that actually reported back before Vince forced his way back to power and sent his own daughter packing.

Perhaps HHH has been Cc'd in on all the videos of his father-in-law shitting on women, but there's been no suggestion of that.  Perhaps he should have resigned when Stephanie did, but he probably feels he has an obligation to the wrestlers and the product.

People on Reddit are going "HHH is definitely out" but I'm still unsure why apart from that he's a visible figure and everyone assumes he must be guilty of SOMETHING.

15 minutes ago, Supremo said:

Watching Andrade on this show getting the big superstar treatment

I actually thought Nick Aldis couldn't have looked less fussed that Raw had signed Andrade.  Perhaps he's been watching Rampage.  Like me, Aldis is much more interested in Bron Breakker!

Sidenote, I think Andrade might have forgot his wife's name there.  "Say hello to... uh... mia amore".  

4 minutes ago, King Coconut said:

I'm hearing reports that he also flipped out and nutted Trips before leaving the arena.

He's old and he's tired.  Rather than this wrestling lark, has he considered working with children?

32 minutes ago, Chest Rockwell said:

focus on the positive! 

It's a very nice watch to be fair, I think it's a Cartier?

1 hour ago, BomberPat said:

in fairness, haven't seen it,

I think you're a great poster Pat, but this isn't Reddit!  Seeing as we can all Watch Wrestling, I reckon actually watching an angle before criticising it should be a minimum.  Fucking Observer write-up.  Reminds me of reading WCW writeups for years and being convinced it was the worst thing ever, and then finally getting to watch some and it being great.  Fuck the Scotsman and all those smart marks. 😂

I know some of you are down on Drew, but I think he's grown into this heel role well, and that was a proper heat-drawing segment.  So well delivered, with absolute conviction and hatred.

48 minutes ago, Supremo said:

All the talk after his UFC run was that he was insanely dedicated, but at some point you’ve got to have athletic gifts, which he doesn’t have. A strictly clean 45 year old? In there with those young, super athletes, running and flying about at pace? It shouldn’t be a shock at all.

My main thought coming out of the Rumble was that they should keep him away from multi-man matches like that going forward and exclusively do one-on-one matches where he can dictate the pace and stick to the basics. He really stood out as old and slow (we obviously know there was an extra reason, now).

Maybe I’m a prick for even asking, but during his time at Developmental training, did they have him doing any of those stupid, bonkers lifts? He certainly looked to have packed on a bit of size. It would be very on brand if so. You go there to learn. You also go there to completely fuck your body up exercising like an Olympian.

I think someone posted that cracking 10 minute video of him at the PC.  He was literally just doing basic wrestling training routines like the 5x5x5.  He looked decent to be honest.

I'm about his age and I fucked my calf muscle getting out of bed the other day, and my shoulder is seized because I slept on it funny.  It's about the point at which your body starts going "yeah, not so much" to things it wouldn't have had a problem with 5 years ago.  I have to take it very careful doing weights - even though I'm lifting my heaviest ever, it's so easy to strain a tendon or whatever.

I can't imagine trying to do anything complicated like a wrestling match.  I think if I even tried to do some martial arts training now it might half kill me.

It does bring home what insane natural athletes guys like Flair or Sting are that they could still wrestle into their 60s.

23 minutes ago, TheScarlettChad said:

He probably should just retire, Right?

MAJOR WRESTLEMANIA MATCH OFF DUE TO INJURY | PWInsider.com

Oh. Oh no.

Can you stop posting links to shitty newz sites and just post the news please?  

He booked essentially every angle for 50 years, directed every episode, is the commentator on about 20 years worth.  Trying to erase him from WWE history is a fool’s errand and they won’t even try.

They will just never mention him for a few years, probably until he dies.

7 minutes ago, Frankie Crisp said:

Two years and 11 months! In a wardrobe. Under a suitcase and next to a knackered roller blind.

In your face, Phillip DeFreitas.

But... I mean... why?  This makes Devon's dad seem sane.

Sand is for keeping outdoors until plants start to grow out of it.

We do a big jigsaw at Christmas, I do love it though it highlights my fading eyesight.

Guardian Quick every day, the Observer Cryptic on a Sunday.  

This stuff keeps your brain active and is almost certainly a good practice to get into.  I'm not sure its any more dull than staring at the Gogglebox watching people play Mike Castle's Mafia.

2 hours ago, Supremo said:

why did they even send Rock out there to tease The Roman match this close to Wrestlemania?

This is the big question.  What WAS that about?  If it was just a flippant off-the-cuff remark it was really, really stupid as it's started this expectation train that as you say has taken the shine of the CodyStoryTM .

It's all part of a larger conspiracy

Obviously a bunch of stuff has happened last minute.  I don't think Meltzer has any more idea than the rest of us, given his No1 source Vince is presumably not picking up the phone right now.  I think Pat was slotted in because Lesnar wasn't coming.  I think Bron was always going to have his spot, but got some extra eliminations due to Lesnar.  I think the No 30 slot was potentially saved for Rocky (or even Stone Cold), who might have bailed due to the Vince scandal so it ended up being "oh yeah, Sammy Zayn".

I also reckon WWE was reaching out to a few other people for some surprise entrants but they couldn't land them, as there were a few other slots that had NO heat or storyline to them - Ricochet being a good example.  I'm sure this happens every year - maybe Tamina would have been on the show if TNA had said no to the cross-promotion.

---

So WWE have opened a door with TNA and also with AJPW and a few rumour about Stardom and NJPW.  2024 and WWE moving forward could be quite interesting if this is a direction they decide to go!  Imagine Tiffany Stratton wrestling Jordynne Grace on a TNA PPV.  Or Moose challenging for the US Title on Smackdown.

I watched this with some children I had stolen for the evening*, and they loved the Viper bits.  It was really interesting their reactions to the whole thing, having never seen it before - they thought that the competition was between the Gladiators and the contestants, so were often picking the Gladiators to win the events.  They thought Giant's back wings were disgusting.  Their favourite Gladiator was Fury (the deaf one).  And they totally bought Viper as evil.

The winner of the female pair-off could be an eventual winner of the series, I thought - she smoked most of the Gladiators in the events.  I do think they chose a lot of the Gladiators due to their muscled look, and have now realised that they're not much cop and climbing ropes or running after people, whereas the contestants are smaller, lighter and faster.  

*babysitting

Just now, Chili said:

Are we gonna have to turn the hose on you lad? 

The match, champ, the match.  

Yes please!  

10 minutes ago, Lorne Malvo said:

Chelsea Green reminds a little of Billie Kay's run a few years back - just utterly commited to the role and not afraid to show arse at all. She's great.

Agree, but it’s not necessarily a good thing for her career, given how wwe rewarded Billie!

 Comedy characters get short runs, most of the time.

3 minutes ago, DavidB6937 said:

They're all shit. It's not a competition about who wore the silliest accessory or who gave the worst answer. They've all got shit to deal with and they all need to do better.

To be clear, I mentioned that only because it has been explicitly referenced earlier in this thread as a comparison.  I dislike that tribalism as much as you, as I think I’ve made clear many times.

1 minute ago, Supremo said:

Remember when Hunter would wear a backwards cap to prove he’d turned babyface? I think he thought Serious Spectacles was enough to handle a real situation that wasn’t just people telling him how great he was.

But yeah. Imagine being a woman in that company, reading all that shit, and the fucking boss is like, “don’t worry about it! Focus on the positives! I didn’t even read it! Have you seen how much Netflix are gonna pay?!”

Depends.  If you have a good relationship with that boss, he’s championed your career and supported you every step of the way, you might feel loyalty to him and feel he’s in a difficult position.

I don’t think he handled the question well, but we’re a million miles away from wearing a silly wig.  But it’s HHH and people have been waiting for a chink in his armour for a long time.  

I echo others' appreciation of Jordynne Grace, my first view of her and I was VERY impressed.

It speaks to the strength and depth of the WWE's women's division that they are comfortable with having the champ of another fed in the mix, and her looking strong as well.  It felt like a star-studded, anything-can-happen Rumble match, one of the best of either division that there's been in many a year.

Perfect introduction of Jade Cargill to the wider audience, and the crowd were red-hot for the possibility of her v Bianca which they are wise to be.

I enjoyed the 4-way, although the outcome was never in doubt.  All 4 men are over, all work compatible styles and all looked good I thought.  WWE really has an embarrassment of riches in their main event scene, they've been almost TOO successful this year in building people up.

The men's Rumble couldn't live up to the women's - not enough surprises.  Sammy Zayn at No 30 was the best they could do?  Also disappointing to see boring Andrade turn up - off the back of a forgettable AEW run he has nothing to offer imo, particularly when I realised that Santos Escobar (as well as being better generally) is also taller!  Bron Breakker came in like a tower of power but (and this happened a lot in this match) got eliminated with kind of no fanfare.

---

Whatever else is going on outside the ring, WWE is firing on all cylinders leading up to Wrestlemania.  They're committing to Reigns v Cody (I imagine Supremo's TV needed a wipe down this morning) and surely to the finishing of the story.  Outside of that they have stars aplenty to fill 2 nights of Wrestlemania.  Punk v Rollins most likely, Bayley v Ripley, possibly Belair v Cargill, and then  you've got Orton, LA Knight, McIntyre, Becky Lynch... 

There's no need for The Rock is there?  Can't see him fitting into WM at all now.

I have to disagree with people on both the crowd and the ring announcer - I watching this on my big tv and the crowd seemed hot to me (especially compared to the last Dynamite, good lord).  And I like her announcing, she gets the crowd pumped and her exaggerations are no more odd than her many male predecessors and counterparts elsewhere in sports.

9 hours ago, SuperBacon said:

Just been to the shops for sweets, Coke, crisps (so many crisps) and Chicken slices etc and might order a munch box from the Chinese as I've decided I'm staying up to watch it live*

 

 

*Cue me falling asleep at 11.37pm. 

@SuperBacon  WAKE UP!!!

2 hours ago, waters44 said:

The match didn’t really do much for me honestly but it was cool to see those two together

Another good show and Swerve shone again. He’s the man! Him and Page can feud all year long as far as I’m concerned

Toni Storm may be the best thing in wrestling at the moment, which is something I couldn’t imagine saying a while back. Absolutely incredible as Timeless! I’d happily take little segments like this for the next few weeks. Also enjoyed Fritz Lang getting his head kicked off

My other favourite part of AEW is Darby Allin. The way he just jumped out the ring straight to the outside as if it’s completely normal. I’m absolutely fascinated by him

 

 

You're sleeping on the fact that Sting is both in the ring AND in the audience!